290 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



overcome with fatigue, they repose on the surface of the sea, placing 

 their head under their wings. When in this position they are very 

 easily captured. In order to do this, the sailors have only to ap- 

 proach silently, and knock them down with a boat-hook or spear 

 them with a harpoon. 



Fig. 108.— The Common Albatross. 



Navigators have opportunities of observing these birds in the 

 Antarctic regions, where there is no night at certain seasons of the 

 year, and they assert that the same flocks may be seen hovering 

 around their vessel during many successive days without exhibiting 

 the least signs of exhaustion or the slightest relaxation in their 

 strength. A peculiarity in their mode of flight is that, whether they 

 are ascending or descending, they seldom flap their wings, but do so 

 without an effort. 



